


A Vase of Peonies

by WillowQuill



Category: Grantchester (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Slow Burn, lots and lots and lots of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-06-06 03:05:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6735541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillowQuill/pseuds/WillowQuill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When controversy falls on Leonard under the judging eye of Grantchester, Sidney falls into the tough position of holding together the vicarage, friendships, and even Leonard himself.</p><p>It would all be straightforward, only the more Sidney extends his hands to comfort Leonard, the more his hands start lingering…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Grantchester or any of it's characters, I get no financial gain from this nor seek any. I'm just a girl with too much love for these characters and a blank word document that called out my name.

"How long?"

"What do you mean?"

"How long Sidney, until someone else finds out?" Mrs. Maguire's words were filled with a quiet, almost fearful intensity.  
  
This was a conversation Sidney hadn't expected when Mrs. Maguire put two and two together. Anger and disbelief, perhaps- but fear and what seemed almost like forced disgust?

"How can you expect me to house a- a-" sputtering Mrs. Maguire stopped herself with a sour look, "Mr. Finch, in this town? If I found out who else will? It's only a matter of time before the whole town will be talking. He reflects on all of us Sidney, not just me, but you too. And the church!" Gesturing to the walls around them Mrs. Maguire sputtered, "I can't do it. I just can't Sidney. Beneath whatever saviour act you're trying to pull I know you feel the same."

"Don't tell me what I feel." Repulsed Sidney stared down at Mrs. Maguire in horror; "He's our friend, does that mean nothing to you?"

"Of course it means something! I cared about him!" her voice and expression curdled. Sidney didn't think even she could quite believe the words coming out of her mouth.

"And that friendship's changed now? He's the exact same as he was, the exact same man. The only thing different now is that you know."

"He's one of them." Mrs. Maguire hissed.

"He's a person!" Sidney's voice rose to a shout. Throwing his arms out he stared down at his housekeeper incredulously, "You can't kick him out for loving!"

"Loving the wrong kind Mr. Chambers." Her voice calmed. Taking a long, painful breath Mrs. Maguire looked up at Sidney once more with an expression of finality. "He can not stay here. It won't be."

Sidney opened his mouth to rebut.

"When do you want me out Mrs. Maguire?"

Turning, Sidney and Mrs. Maguire watched a timid head poke out from the nearby kitchen doorway.  
Sidney- panicked- scanned Leonard's face. He swore Leonard's eyes looked redder than normal, but the voice that came from the vicar was calm and measured.

The hallway fell silent for a moment. Sidney turned from Leonard to stare down Mrs. Maguire whose lips seemed ready to fall off from their wordless pursing and working.

"Thursday." The word seemed to force itself out of Mrs. Maguire's mouth, uncertain but firm.

Sidney's jaw clenched and the silence that fell again became stifling around the three.

"Thursday then." Leonard's eyes looked past them as he nodded. Just as he had appeared, he disappeared back behind the wall, leaving Sidney to stare at Mrs. Maguire a moment more before he too left, turning on his heel and stomping down the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ms Maguire in canon- if she is aware of Leonard's sexuality- seems to be at least tolerant to it if not vocally supportive (that's what I got from her stealing his tin at least), but let's roll with this shall we? I don't think it's that far of a stretch in a small community in the 1950s for her to be influenced by social expectations into acting bigoted. Especially if she considered putting her foot down better for them all in the long run. Thankfully Sidney isn't having any of that shit.
> 
> Updates should come fairly regularly! Thanks for reading. :)


	2. Chapter 2

“This is insane.”  
Stopping mid-step, Sidney clenched his fists feeling the empty satisfaction of nails biting harshly into his palms.

Geordie stumbled to a stop a short pace ahead before doubling back with a vaguely annoyed tilt to his shoulders. As he started to raise a question about _why_ exactly Sidney had stopped, the vicar shook his head and charged forward again.  
“I can’t talk about it Geordie, never mind.”

“Ok?” Tentatively, Geordie started walking again only to be stopped almost physically by falling into Sidney’s once again still body.  
“Damn it Sidney what is it? We’ll take years to make it to the station if you continue on like this. If it’ll help your feet remember how to move I’ll write you up for obstructing police work.”

“I,” Sidney shuffled words around in his mouth, “It’s...” Faltering Sidney groaned, defeated. Grabbing Geordie by the arm he dragged him off in the direction of the station.

To Geordie’s surprise- stumbling along the pavement- they didn’t actually go to the station. With wistful eyes Geordie eyed the building’s door as the familiar brick and his hopes of a normal day were dragged away by a vicar’s steady hand. Instead, Sidney led them around the block straight to Geordie’s car.

Though obediently getting into the offered door, Geordie decided to put his foot down at that. “You tell me right now where we’re going and what’s going on Sidney, or I swear-”

“We’re here.” Sidney shifted in the passenger seat to face Geordie once he had confirmed all the windows were closed. Sidney made the car look child sized; his limbs scrunching into the vehicle meant knees and elbows uncomfortably everywhere.  
Geordie let go of his keys where they sat in his jacket pocket and looked expectantly at Sidney. 

Sidney didn’t want to talk.

“Well come on now, you’ve got me in the car. Tell me what’s the matter.”

“It’s really not my business to share.”

“When have you ever kept to your own business Sidney?”

That earned Geordie a biteless glare.

Geordie made a show of turning in his seat to face the vicar expectantly.  
Sidney in fierce retaliation nervously stared down at his hands which fidgeted, bouncing half clasped lightly against his legs.  
  
“You must promise to keep it to yourself.”

Now in stark contrast to his meekly tapping hands Sidney's tone was anything but biteless; Geordie raised an eyebrow at the gravely levelled demand, “Of course.”

“No, you must truly promise me. You can not tell anyone.” Now having whipped his gaze up to stare Geordie dead in the eye, Sidney was beginning to scare the cop. “Promise me.”

Geordie paused. The light-hearted novelty of being dragged through town by an arm had quite entirely worn off with the set of Sidney’s jaw and brow. Whatever this was, it was clearly enough to throw Sidney off. That fact alone gave large reason to make Geordie want to pass on whatever load was being offered his to share.  
Curiosity, however, was a weakness Geordie gave easily into. “I promise.”

“I have… a _friend_ ,” 

“A woman?”

“No,” Sidney sneered, “Not a woman.”

“Ok, so you have a male friend who…?”

“ _I have a friend_ ,” starting again Sidney ground the words out, “Who is about to be kicked out of his house and job for something he can’t control.”

Geordie looked at Sidney closely, scrutinizing his face. “Are we talking about you?”

“No! Geordie, god.” Now thoroughly agitated Sidney huffed a breath out between grit teeth, “I’m serious, I have a friend who could lose his house and job and it’s completely out of his hands. And I’m frustrated about it, there’s nothing I can do but watch.”

Silence. 

“Is… why is this so secretive?”

Sidney’s lips pressed together, no words forthcoming.

“Ok, let’s try another question. Why is he losing it all? Gambling?”

“No, no.”

Silence now _suffocated_ the car.

“Come on now Sidney, you’re really going to make me guess?”

“Why doesn’t matter.”

“Well then!” Geordie sat back in his seat, tilting his head against its rest and getting comfortable. With the pace the conversation was going he could almost convince himself a nap wouldn’t be out of place. “Why not let him stay at the church? Until he gets back on his feet at least, Isn’t that what you’re there for? Helping us downtrodden and wretched folk?”

Now Sidney looked absolutely miserable.

“He can’t.”

Intrigued Geordie squinted over at his companion, “Atheist? Is that it?”

“No, he’s…” Sidney raked a tired hand over his face, “That’s where he’s being kicked out of.”

Silence as the gears clicked in Geordie’s head.  
“That Leonard guy then?” 

“Yeah, _that Leonard guy_.”

“Huh.” Geordie scrunched his face up, trying to think of how a vicar could conceivably get himself kicked out of a church for reasons beyond his control. “What did the poor bastard do? Mistake the sacramental wine for his morning tea?"

“He did nothing!” Sidney thrashed an exasperated arm out, “That’s why I’m so angry! I tried reasoning with Mrs. Maguire but I now have half a mind to move out myself.”

“Well he must have done something Sidney.” Geordie ignored the comment about moving, “What aren’t you telling me?”

Sidney visibly argued with himself for a moment. Eventually- after a few more platitudes from Geordie of keeping whatever was said between them- Sidney held eye contact and came out with it.  
“Mrs. Maguire found out yesterday that Leonard is a- he’s gay.” Swallowing Sidney watched Geordie’s face carefully. “He’s the exact same man he’s been all his life. The same man who for all this time we’ve three lived peacefully together with as friends, yet now it’s all come crashing down." 

“A nancy vicar…” Blowing out a breath Geordie shook his head, staring off out the windshield to mutter. “Crawling out the bloody woodwork they are…”

“What am I supposed to do Geordie? I don't think Mrs. Maguire really gives a damn about who Leonard loves; it’s all in the light it’ll throw on us. Damn!” Sidney hit the dashboard and collapsed back into his seat, “How do I help him? What can I do?”

“Nothing.” Steeling himself against the angry look Sidney threw, Geordie shrugged. “You don’t want to hear it but Mrs. Maguire is right, you know this town. You know how they turn. The church is no place for people like that.”

“Unbelievable.” Sidney felt like hurling, staring at his friend with growing horror, “You know Leonard. You’ve spoken with him. You know he’s a good man.”

“And he is, no doubt about it. But once gossip spreads it will ruin the church, and if you care about the man even half as much as you claim to you know it will ruin him too. I think he can do whatever he damn well pleases behind closed doors,” watching Sidney fumble behind himself for the door handle Geordie grimaced, “but it will only cause pain to everyone if he stays. You know that Sidney, you must see that.”

“Why does everyone act like they know how I feel?” spitting words Sidney found the handle and swung open the door, hauling himself unceremoniously out of the car. Storming off down the cobblestones he ignored Geordie’s calls and started the long walk back to the churchyard with heartbeat drumming in his ears and body taut with anger.

Infuriating, the entire situation was _infuriating_. Kicking stones into soft grass ditches Sidney swore to himself that he’d do all in his power to help Leonard through the mess. It was a marvel how fast friends fell away the moment a person became a social liability.  
  
Sidney scuffed the toe of his shoe in the dirt and promised to be made of stronger stuff for Leonard’s sake. The man didn’t have an unkind bone in his body, he’d be damned if he’d step away and let him fall the moment he needed help. After so long supporting each other it was time to test that bond.

The rumour mill of Grantchester be damned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll aim to upload every Thursday so stay tuned. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for descriptions of injuries, nothing graphic.
> 
> Well... every hurt/comfort fic needs a little hurt doesn't it?

Two days fell away like leaves from a tree, gone before anyone could seize them. Sidney was sat having tea, muddling his way through the mundane pages of a newspaper.

Four more days to pass until Thursday and he found himself no closer to an answer. He had begun puzzling over any and all connections and favours he could pull to try and buy more time for a permanent solution.

There were no active cases to follow with Geordie, Mrs. Maguire was somewhere in the garden puttering about the flowers and Leonard was out in town. Sidney was also meant to be in town- had announced it during breakfast even- but the oh so interesting newspaper had called his name. He had spent a full hour pondering the idea of actually leaving the vicarage before picking up the newsprint and settling back in his chair defeated.

There was nowhere he desperately needed to go; he wasn’t in a hurry to trod on Geordie’s heels despite them having tentatively made up the previous day. A nice day of peace seemed to be calling his name, hours spent thinking and pretending to read the countless articles that someone, somewhere was paid to churn out day after eventless day.

A noise sounded from the hallway.

Looking up with furrowed brow from a riveting paragraph on recent weather patterns- unusual amounts of clouds in past weeks- Sidney listened closely to the disturbed silence.

A latch was opened and soft, careful footsteps padded towards first the closet- opened and shut carefully- then over toward the kitchen where Sidney was sat. Curiously, Sidney watched the door to see what Mrs. Maguire was doing sneaking around in such a fashion.

The face the door opened up to was not Mrs. Maguire’s. Instead Leonard stood, small towel clasped in hand, frozen in fear, staring at Sidney.

Sidney stood immediately feeling his blood go cold. The newspaper smacked to the ground beneath him.

“Oh my god Leonard.”

“It’s nothing, I’m fine!” Turning as fast as he could, Leonard shut the door and hurried away. Leaping forward Sidney wrenched the door open and ran to catch the younger vicar, catching his wrist just as he turned a corner.

Leonard hissed, withdrawing his hand from Sidney to cradle it against his chest. Heart racing, Sidney’s eyes darted back and forth taking in a sight that churned his stomach.

Leonard was covered in blood. Bruises dark and blue were everywhere, impossible to count on what skin was exposed under a shirt that had been a pressed, brilliant white only hours before. His nose was still streaming blood; his cheeks coloured by fists and streaked with drying tears.

“Who-“

“It was an accident, really funny actually…” stuttering Leonard tried to back away but Sidney kept pace, “Y-you see I was, running and I… fell down a hill.”

“ _Who_ Leonard? Who did this to you?” With wide eyes Sidney reached out but Leonard flinched away from the touch.

“The hill, Sidney. It’s nothing I’m really fine if you’ll just let me-“

“Let me help clean you up.” Sidney locked eyes with Leonard and his anger towards whoever had caused such pain rose even higher at seeing the sheer terror reflected in such kind eyes.

Leonard regarded Sidney’s outstretched hands a moment before reluctantly handing over his crumpled towel. Wordlessly Sidney led them to his room, riffling through a small drawer to pull out medical supplies. Leonard stood horribly still in a corner of the room, silently taking in Sidney’s bedroom as its owner fetched a pot of water.

“Please Leonard, your shirt.”

Sidney saw the fear once again flash in Leonard’s eyes, freezing him to his spot. It took a moment- Sidney was patient- but Leonard nodded. Fingers that trembled against fabric carefully pushed suspenders off his shoulders, Leonard bringing his hands up to untuck and unbutton the pink, red and brown mess that had become of his shirt.

Leonard was of slight build and every inch of his pale chest was covered in welts, bruises, and cuts. The blood concealed most of the damage; with a sickening feeling Sidney saw it was everywhere. Getting rid of it’s coating seemed the first step.

Pulling out his desk chair and gesturing for Leonard to sit down, Sidney wet the cloth in the warmed water and rung it out until just saturated.

Kneeling, Sidney pressed it lightly against Leonard’s chest. His body twitched under the touch and Sidney watched a sound of pain be bit back. Sympathetically Sidney began work on cleaning the area- a slow and painful process as the cloth glided over open wounds and pressed uncomfortably down upon blossoming bruises. After some time Leonard leant his head back and let out a shuttering breath, face contorted in pain. After his front was washed clean he had to stand so Sidney could do his back. After his back, his arms and after his arms, Sidney turned to Leonard’s face.

The water he was using was now a glossy pink as he swished his cloth around it. This time Sidney just leant down, bringing himself face to face with Leonard.  
Leonard swallowed and alternated for a moment between looking past Sidney’s shoulder and directly watching him work. The cloth was brought up and gently swiped a line over a sore and coloured cheek.

Sidney worked with even more care than he had for the rest of Leonard’s body consumed with sadness over the injuries covering his friend. Sidney’s cloth almost seemed to caress away the blood on Leonard’s face; he tried to be as careful as possible.

While he was wiping away dried blood from a split in Leonard’s lower lip, the lip trembled and Leonard’s eyes fluttered closed. Leaning back, Sidney pulled his hand away to rewet the cloth once more. Leonard opened his eyes to watch the movements, so often been repeated throughout the process.

“Thank you Sidney.”

Sidney faltered a moment before catching himself and continuing to wring the towel. “It’s the least I can do.”

“But you didn’t have to, and you are.” Rubbing a finger in anxious circles over his knee, Leonard nodded to himself, “Thank you.”

Sidney finished the rest of Leonard’s face wordlessly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hit a couple speed bumps which is why this is late, but the next chapter will be ready and waiting on time this week. :)
> 
> Gosh I just want to wrap Leonard in a big blanket. Maybe give him some hot chocolate. A couple cookies too.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for descriptions of injuries.

Once all the blood had been cleared away Sidney stepped back a pace.

It was clear Leonard had been beaten; by many men it seemed and for what looked to be an agonizingly long time. Imprints of fists, lines of shoes, clawing nails- everywhere Sidney looked there was a new horror to behold marring skin. Cigarette burns dotted across abused skin, a puncture mark was covered in dirt and imbedded with pebbles, a vicious black eye and uncountable cuts, scrapes, and blows that spanned from minor to serious covering Leonard’s meek frame. The bruises didn’t stop at his torso, head or arms; Sidney saw blows disappearing past the waistline of Leonard’s pants out of daylight but just as real.

Leonard shifted under Sidney’s gaze and brought a hand up to cradle his ribs. All of him hurt. Every inch of his skin. Every bit of his pride. He didn’t want to admit the amount of effort it took to simply hold himself upright.

“What hurts the most?”

“My head.” Leonard licked his lips and let his eyes scrunch in recognition of his pounding temple and the dizziness that plagued him, “And the burns.”

Sidney quickly fetched a new cloth and pot now filled with cold water. As Leonard held the cool relief against his burns Sidney began work patching up the worst of the cuts. There was nothing to be done for the bruises or Leonard’s concussion, nothing but time and rest.

“Odd hill.” Sidney felt Leonard stiffen beneath his fingers but kept working as if nothing had changed, “Not often you find a cliff that uses cigarettes.”

“Well,” Staring off at the far wall and holding a dripping cloth to a burn, an odd smile made its way onto Leonard’s face. It was so out of place Sidney found himself pausing to look at it, to puzzle at Leonard’s expression. 

Leonard flicked his eyes down to Sidney before looking back up at the wall once more. “On occasion volcanoes are known to smoke.”

“Unbelievable.” Snorting and shaking his head Sidney returned to his work.

Leonard glanced down once again to Sidney, smile dying on his lips.

The two became reabsorbed in their own minds and thoughts. Slowly progress was made but there were many cuts to be sterilized and sewn. A small pile of pebbles grew on Sidney’s side table, removed from Leonard’s body with grimaces and pain.

When Ms Maguire walked in it jolted the both of them; Leonard would have fallen off his seat if Sidney’s hands hadn’t pressed protectively against him and the chair.

She stood motionless at the door- mouth popped open wordlessly, a bunch of lilac clasped in one hand. Leonard was purple, yellow, brown and red, an Edvard Munch palette spread over a canvas of pale white skin.  
Her free hand jolted upward to clasp over her mouth. Leonard looked back at her with haunted eyes a moment before fixing his stare decisively at his shoes. His feet jumped around nervously in the silence.

As if released from a spell Mrs. Maguire broke out of her frozen state and rushed forward toward the pair.

“Mrs. Maguire-“ Sidney started but she shushed him, tutting wordlessly, fussing back and forth before grabbing the pot of muddy water and leaving the room in a rush.

Sidney and Leonard exchanged a look.

“I’m sure she’ll come back with it.” For lack of anything else substantial to say Sidney awkwardly resumed work, glancing every so often back at where Mrs. Maguire had disappeared. Leonard stared down at his hands and heaved a gentle sigh.

When she came back she came back with a vengeance. The small woman was carrying the now clean and full pot of water, a kettle, three cups, a tray of sweets, and a new towel. Before Sidney had chance to leap up and help her Mrs. Maguire had already settled it all down on Sidney’s side table and had begun pouring the tea.

Once the cups were evenly distributed, Mrs. Maguire turned her full and undivided attention on Leonard.

“What in God’s name happened?”

“I’m fine Mrs. Maguire, really it was nothing.” Tentatively lifting his cup up Leonard took a nervous and testing sip to check its temperature.

“You’ve been beaten.”

Leonard stared down at his hands and swirled the tea around.

“We can help you Leonard.” Leaning back on his heels, keeping a hand on Leonard’s knee for support, Sidney spoke softly. “If you tell me who did it, Geordie and I can bring them to justice.”

Leonard reacted explosively.  
“No! No.” catching with his hand the tea that he spilt, Leonard fixed wide and panicked eyes on Sidney. “No police. Don’t tell them.”

“What? Why?” Alarmed Sidney reached for the cloth and absently used it to clear away the tea from Leonard’s lap and hand, “Why not tell the police?”

“Please just, promise me you won’t.” Heart pounding in his chest Leonard reached out and held Sidney’s arm. “Please Sidney.”

“But Leonard-”

“You can’t talk to them, you must promise me not to talk to them. Not the station and not Mr. Keating.”

Sidney struggled for words, shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn’t wrap his head around what he was hearing. “What on earth happened?”

Slowly Leonard released his hold on Sidney’s bicep. Sidney didn’t waver at the action, only kept his questioning gaze level and piercing.

“You’ll only make it worse by trying to help Sidney.” Voice meek, Leonard held a hand up to his pounding head. “I’d like to lay down now I think.”

“Of course.” Mrs. Maguire leapt into action before Sidney had time to interject, offering an arm for Leonard to take. “I’ll bring you to your room.”

The two left the room awkwardly and slowly. Sidney watched after them frozen where he stood. The tea cooled quietly, forgotten. Turning in silence, Sidney cleaned up the rags.

 

\--

 

He found Mrs. Maguire in the study polishing the brass.

“He tried to keep me from seeing you know.” Closing the door behind him, Sidney stood against the wall looking down at her. Mrs. Maguire was sat, furiously scrubbing the candlesticks. She faced away from him. Her movements slowed after he spoke.

“I wasn’t supposed to be home. Neither of us were meant to be in the house. That’s the only reason we saw.”

“He couldn’t have hidden it.”

“He would have tried.” Sidney walked forward until he was beside her. Her hands had stopped now. “He would have tried to hide the fact he had been beaten from us. How sad is that? He didn’t even feel safe at home. With us.”

Mrs. Maguire couldn’t manage more than a hoarse whisper. “Maybe it was random." 

“He would have told us if it was.” Pacing the floor Sidney stopped where had had started. He stared out the window. “But why not tell the police? He obviously knows who it was. He doesn’t need to say why.”

“People will ask.” Mrs. Maguire said.

“In four days, when _you_ throw him out people will ask why he’s covered in wounds.”

Mrs. Maguire flinched back but Sidney came closer, leaning against the table trying to make eye contact.

“He won’t be able to move tomorrow. By Thursday he’ll be purple, yellow and green. Still sore. Where will he go?”

“People must already know Sidney, for this to have happened-”

“Damn them!” slamming a hand on the table Sidney felt his heart thud, “I joined the church to help people, not throw them to the wolves. What if they come back? What if we’re not there to patch him up?” Pushing off the table he ran a hand through his hair. “I have to tell Geordie.”

“He doesn’t want you to.”

“They held him down and used cigarettes to burn holes through his shirt.” Swallowing down a surge of bile at the thought Sidney swore he could almost see it happening, “They’re out there right now, and they will get away with it if we do nothing. They could do it again. No, I’m going. I can’t let this go by in good conscious.”

When Sidney stormed out of the room the brass was long forgotten by Mrs. Maguire. Slowly, sitting at her desk she lowered her head into her hands. If her shoulders shook, there was no one there to see it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What was that a couple chapters ago about Sidney not being able to keep to his own business?  
> Of course, I'm grateful for it as it moves the plot along. :)
> 
> Comment, stay tuned, and thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

He took his bike.

Peddling fast, fuelled by the anger that had built from every new bruise he had discovered on Leonard, Sidney blew past fences and gates. He knew he’d find Geordie at his house. It was lunch on a Monday with no active murder, why would a cop be at the station?

Passing children and dogs, trees and parked cars, Sidney made his way to the family home.

How had this happened? Even if people had known about Leonard, what cruel fate decided that he should be beaten within only days of the argument at the church? It wasn’t fair. Sidney signalled right and passed a man pruning his hedges. Of all people, Sidney knew better than anyone a person couldn’t choose who they loved. Hearts made the decision for you.

Sidney pulled into the stone driveway of Geordie’s home and leant his bike against the side of the white building. The sun was hot against the black of his suit and beat down on him. Rapping on the door with dry knuckles, Sidney waited.

“Mr. Chambers?” The door swung open to reveal Cathy, baby in hand and covered in flour. “You must be here for Geordie.”

“Ah, yes.” Sidney gave her his best smile under the circumstances, “May I come in?”

He was lead to the sitting room. Geordie was reading the paper.

“Interesting about those clouds eh?” Sidney came to a stop in front of the chair. Cathy left the room quietly leaving the two in private.

Geordie looked up with the ghost of a smile on his face. “It’s upsetting to see what passes as news these days. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Earlier this morning Leonard was beaten.”

The smile slipped off of Geordie’s face. “Shit.”

Geordie’s disappointed but unsurprised tone took him aback. Sidney scanned his face with an uneasy feeling creeping up on him.

“He was kicked and punched over and over again.” Sidney’s lower lip twitched and he tightly curled a fist, steadying himself. “Cigarette burns, scratches, cuts and bruises on every inch of him. He has a concussion. In his right arm alone I must have taken out at least ten rocks.” Sidney listed the images that had been haunting him and Geordie remained silent, impassive but for his complexion paling a shade. “I patched him up myself, it must have been a group of people. He could have very easily broken bones, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had and I just haven’t seen it yet.”

There fell a moment of shared silence between them. Geordie wasn’t quite meeting his eye.

“Did he tell you who did it?”

“No.”

“Any witnesses?”

“Not that I know of.” Sidney waited a beat. “He didn’t want me to tell you.”

“Of course not.” Putting down his paper Geordie rose from his chair and moved past Sidney. Stopped in front of the window, he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. He took a drag and out of his mouth with the smoke came a mumble, “Of course not…”

Sidney appraised the situation. His best friend clearly didn’t seem in a hurry to go catch the bad guys.

“Geordie.”

Sidney took a couple steps forward.

“ _Geordie_.”

“What?”

“He had hand prints on his _neck,_ Geordie.” Sidney’s words were pronounced now, deliberate and pointed with narrowed eyes. He inched closer. “Second degree _burns_.”

“Is he ok?”

Moving now Sidney rounded on Geordie. Got into his face. Sneered. “Is he _ok_? What is wrong with you? We should be investigating, getting the police force involved. There’s been a man beaten in Grantchester in broad daylight!” All anger fell off Sidney’s features in a single breath. There was a moment of neutrality before disbelief started seeping in, “Is this because of what I told you?”

Geordie looked away, fiddling with his cigarette, “Of course not.”

“If this was anyone else Geordie, if this had happened to me, or Margaret, or Amanda.” Raising a finger Sidney pointed it into Geordie’s chest, “We’d be halfway to the station by now. You’d be cracking heads.”

“I’ll deal with this.”

“You’ll _deal_ with this?” Scoffing Sidney backed off. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’ll deal with this.” Voice raising Geordie turned a sharp gaze to Sidney. The distance between the two widened though neither moved. “Go home Sidney." 

“Go home?” Now he was yelling, “Leonard’s been beaten within an inch of his life and you want me to go home?”

“Yes I-”

“Do you know something about this?” The look in Geordie’s eyes was terrifying Sidney. He couldn’t see what his friend was thinking, couldn’t read his face.

“I said I will deal with this, for gods sake go home Sidney. Cathy!” Geordie brushed past Sidney. Cathy’s nervous head appeared in the doorway. “Cathy, Sidney’s leaving.”

Sidney stood frozen in the middle of the room. “Don’t do this Geordie.”

“Look,” Geordie sighed, back facing Sidney. “If Leonard’s that hurt he needs friends. Go be by his side Sidney. Pray or something.”

Slowly Sidney moved to the door. Cathy looked down at the ground.

Before he let Cathy escort him out, Sidney looked back one last time. He held none of his anger out of his gaze when he looked at Geordie.

“I hardly know people these days.”

Cathy trailed behind him and closed the door when he left the house. Sidney stared at his bike a moment where it leant against the wall.

The ride home was slow this time. He took roads he didn’t need and nearly ran into a child when he didn’t check around a corner. The sun hadn’t changed but he felt numb to it, gravel and dirt beneath his tires hard and unchanging.  
  
Nature seemed to Sidney to be one of the only sturdy things in Grantchester. His bike, the sun, and the cold hard ground beneath his feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really, really excited about the next chapter and I can't wait to share it with you guys, so you'll be getting two in one week! :D The next update will be tomorrow (Thursday)!
> 
> Thank you all so, so much for your comments and kudos. It puts such a big smile on my face. :)
> 
> Stay tuned!!


	6. Chapter 6

He held a bouquet of peonies in his hands.

His callused fingers brushed over the petals for a moment. Their purity of goodness stood out against his own emotions. Sidney gave himself the moment to loose himself in their gentle pink brilliance.

Taking a composing breath he pushed the bedroom door open. Leonard was sitting up against pillows, engrossed in a small beaten up book he held with both hands. Leonard looked up at Sidney and the book dropped an inch.

“I uh,” sheepishly pulling the flowers out from behind his back Sidney smiled, “I brought flowers. I see I wasn’t the first.”

“Yes, Mrs. Maguire uprooted the garden.” Around his bed sat pots filled with flowers of all shapes and colours. Marguerites, sweet williams, marigolds and campanulas adorned Leonard’s side tables and dresser. Sidney even recognized with some amusement a clump of lavender he had seen only a few hours previous. There was no rhyme or reason to the flowers, it was as if Mrs. Maguire had flown out into the garden and snipped clippings from everything in her immediate reach.

Sidney moved forward and gently cleared a space on the bedside table immediately beside Leonard. He set the little vase of peonies he had bought on the way home down on the table, turning it around so that the fullest side faced the bed.

Leonard’s eyes lit up.

“Peonies.” He lifted a hand to stroke the soft petals. Leaning forward- Sidney saw a flash of pain cross his face- Leonard gently pushed his nose to one of the flowers breathing in. The muscles of his back relaxed with a sigh into the petals. His eyes shut happily for a moment, a warm smile growing on his face. Sidney felt himself smile too in response.

“They’re for health, or at least that’s what I’ve been told.” Moving to sit beside the bed, Sidney considered the bouquet.

“I love them, thank you.” Leonard stared at the flowers a moment longer.

Clearing his throat Sidney glanced down at the book.  
“What are you reading?” 

“Oh.” Picking back up his book Leonard looked it over fondly, “Collected poetry. I couldn’t decide on a single poet.”

Sidney pulled up a chair to sit next to the bed. “Would you read me some?”

Leonard was taken aback and Sidney watched him try and judge the sincerity of the question. Sidney did his best to convey his genuine interest with another smile. “I like music, you like literature. Many songs are poems.”

“Shall I read it in my best Bing Crosby impression?”

“Please do.” Sidney laughed.

Leonard scanned the page he had been on and checked Sidney’s face once more. He swallowed.

When he began, his voice took on an air of clarity and calm it didn’t normally possess. Surprised but intrigued, Sidney closed his eyes and listened.

“I leant upon a coppice gate when Frost was spectre-grey, and Winter’s dregs made desolate the weakening eye of day.”

The poetry soothed his ears, calmed his racing heart for the first time that day.

“The land’s sharp features seemed to be the Century’s corpse outleant, his crypt the cloudy canopy, the wind his death-lament. The ancient pulse of germ and birth was shrunken hard and dry, and every spirit upon earth seemed fervourless as I.

“At once a voice arose among the bleak twigs overhead in a full hearted evensong of joy illimited; an aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small, in blash-beruffled plume, had chosen thus to fling his soul upon the growing gloom.

“So little cause for carolings of such ecstatic sound was written on terrestrial things afar or nigh around, that I could think there trembled through his happy good-night air some blessed Hope, whereof he knew and I was unaware.”

The room fell silent and Sidney took a slow breath, reluctantly drawing himself out of the trance he had fallen in, opening his eyes.  
“Hope.” 

“Hope.” Leonard nodded. “In the darkest of times, the birds see hope. And we must trust in what they see, even if we ourselves are blind to it.”

Looking at Leonard lying black and blue and bloodied in his old worn sheets surrounded by so many flowers, seeing the well-loved book in his hands and relishing in the atmosphere created by the poem- Sidney felt the funny urge to cry.

His hand reached forward and lay on top of Leonard’s.

It was a gentle, innocent gesture and it felt so right in the moment. Leonard’s fingers were thin and long, soft under his own. Sidney looked up reassuringly at Leonard who was doing his best not to look panicked.

They didn’t speak. Just smiled and relished in the feeling of each other’s hands.

Hope. They needed hope, and as it appeared each other.

Sidney couldn’t believe that Geordie and Mrs. Maguire both had turned so quickly. Geordie he understood least of all, he could be a stubborn git sure, but this felt different. Geordie was a man of law and loyalty; Sidney had trouble wrapping his head around Leonard’s sexuality completely overturning both.

“Thank you Sidney.” Leonard looked up from under shy eyelashes. Sidney gently pat his hand. In each other they found anchoring good, and hope.

The soft scent of peonies spread throughout the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! There they are, the flowers which are this fic's namesake. :)
> 
> The poem quoted is 'The Darkling Thrush' by Thomas Hardy. It's a really great poem, a very good one to read when you need a reminder that the world isn't all grey. I love poetry and as Leonard shares the same love for literature I'll try and include some here and there in this story.
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! Stay tuned!


	7. Chapter 7

Leonard was much worse the next day. 

Limbs turned stiff overnight. Pus developed. Bruises darkened. Blisters and shiny bumps rose and ached. When Sidney walked into the bedroom that morning, he walked in on Leonard softly crying into a pillow.

“What can I do to help?”

Muffled little shaking sobs racked Leonard’s blanketed form. Cautiously Sidney walked around the bed and crouched, resting his loosely clasped hands on the bed.

He looked like hell. Crusty blood coating his nose and lips, black eyes squeezed painfully shut in agony- Sidney felt his heart pull at the sight. His own arms felt numb, a sour taste rising in the back of his throat looking over the purple sheen Leonard’s arms cast through his white nightshirt. Leaning forward Sidney wiped a tear off of Leonard’s cheek.  
  
No decipherable response came to Sidney’s question, just whimpers into the fabric of a faded pillow. Sidney looked around the room searching for anything he could use to help. His eyes fell on the abandoned poetry book stretched open and lying on the bottom ledge of Leonard’s bedside table. Picking up the tome he flipped the delicate cream pages until he came upon a title he recognized. Sidney took a moment to fondly skim the words before opening his mouth and letting his voice honey the words as he spoke them, low and soft.

“O wild West Wind thou breath of Autumn’s being, thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,”

As he spoke he watched Leonard’s shoulders slowly relax. Sidney worked his way through the poem, the words not mattering as much as the way his voice filled the room with soft, pleasant sound. Leonard’s sobs melted into shuttering hiccups, then into only shaking breaths. Sidney spoke on.

He started on the fourth stanza; to his surprise Leonard’s lips started moving along with the words. Softly at first- only small movements that barely held the form of words, but by the tenth line Leonard’s voice joined Sidney’s in measured song.

“As thus with thee in prayer in my sore need. Oh, lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud! I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed! A heavy weight of hours has chain’d and bow’d one too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud.”

Leonard went quiet again after that crescendo. Sidney tried not to stumble over the last stanza, finding himself affected by how their voices sounded together. In the absence of Leonard’s added voice his own seemed almost lacking to his ears. Leonard joined in, once more, for the last line.

“O Wind,” Sidney looked up from the book, locking eyes with Leonard as their voices mixed once more. “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”

The room fell into a comfortable silence; resounding with the echoes of warmth the men had filled it with.

Shutting the book, Sidney set it on the bed. Leonard shifted with a groan to lay on his back, looking up at Sidney with brown eyes barely cracked open- crusted at the corners and puffy, but with a gentle melancholic look in them that again tugged at Sidney’s heart.

Absently Sidney wondered why he had never noticed Leonard’s eyes before. They were kind, with prominent eyelids and small laugh lines striking their corners. Gentle eyes, belonging to a good-hearted man. Sidney found himself not for the first time questioning how such misery could be thrust upon a person like Leonard.

“Tea?”

“I’d love some.” Leonard’s voice was raw but the smile he gave soft. Pushing himself upward Sidney left the room with long strides on a determined search for the kettle.

\-- 

Sidney sat on the edge of the bed beside Leonard. Both clasped hot cups of tea in their hands- Sidney’s with minimal cream and Leonard’s drowned in sugar. Sidney laughed at a joke Leonard made, in its wake a moment of quiet set upon them. Leonard looked down into his tea.

“Leonard…” Slowly drawing the name out Sidney gave a careful look at the man. “What happened yesterday?”

Immediately the air in the room turned uncomfortable. A frown stretched and deepened on Leonard’s face; he swirled the remainder of his tea around his cup absently. “What is there to tell?”

“A lot.” Sidney didn’t want to scare Leonard away but didn’t want to drop the subject either now that it had been opened. He couldn’t stop the frustration of the past days from coming out in a stream of questions, “Who did it? Where were you? How did it happen?”

A quiet sigh shook out of Leonard. Putting down his teacup his voice came out much weaker, much more tired. “I was on my way back from mailing a letter. I had time and decided to go walk the meadow before returning. It happened by the river.”

“Did anyone see?”

“No.” Quickly Leonard shook his head before stopping himself, slowing down. “No, no one walked by.”

“Did you see who did it?”

Leonard turned away. Shook his head unconvincingly.

“Why are you keeping them safe?” Tentatively Sidney reached out to rest a hand atop Leonard’s knee where it lay blanketed beside him.

“It helps nothing if I tell you.” Rubbing a tired hand over his face Leonard smeared the remnants of tear tracks still staining his cheeks. “It’s no use.”

“But we could catch them, make them pay for what they did to you. Go to the police.” Sidney watched Leonard give a snort of derision. “You didn’t deserve this Leonard.”

The dark look that passed in Leonard’s eyes made Sidney pause.

“Leonard, you didn’t deserve this. You know that, don’t you?”

Silence.

“ _Leonard_.” 

“You know why it happened Sidney.” Shaking underneath Sidney’s grasp Leonard stared down at the comforter, rhythmically scrunching it between his fingers.

It didn’t hit him immediately this time like some of the recent shocks had. Instead the sense of horror seeped in slowly, giving him time to blink absurdly at his friend and the abused fabric of the blanket as it was wrung under Leonard’s fingers. 

“You didn’t deserve this.” Sidney found himself baffled by even having to state the fact. He said it almost more to himself, trying to remind himself there was still sense in the world. “ _No one_ deserves to be beaten. Least of all you.”

“Most would disagree with you.” Sidney thought the empty gaze Leonard was giving the bed was frightening; he seemed to see right through the mattress, focusing on something beyond that only he could see. “Some think I deserve a lot worse.”

“Well I don’t!” Moving to sit closer on the bed- feeling the need to shake reason into Leonard if words wouldn’t work- Sidney reached out with his other hand and clasped Leonard’s furthest shoulder to turn him into eye contact. It wasn’t until Sidney felt Leonard freeze up that he realized his other hand had slid up to support him in the abrupt motion.

His right hand now rested warmly on Leonard’s upper thigh, pressing lightly but firmly against him. Awkwardly lifting it to instead lay on the bed beside Leonard’s leg, Sidney felt his heart speed for a moment before he got a grip.

 _Fear. Your heart racing must have been caused by fear,_  Sidney’s inner voice asserted bringing logic to his racing mind. Emotions had been running high the past few days, all he needed was a dumb accident like the slip of a hand to ruin whatever trust he had built with Leonard. It was a botched interaction, and with Leonard having precious few friends around him there was no time for those.

If his hand was tingling it must be out of shock and if his face threatened to flush it must be out of embarrassment. Sidney didn’t let himself think of it further. He told himself firmly there was no reason to. 

Ignoring the inscrutable expression on Leonard’s face, Sidney took a deep breath.  
“You deserved nothing that happened to you. I only want to help make things right.”

“You can’t Sidney.” Leonard’s voice rasped. His eyes blinked quickly, darting from Sidney to the blanket and back again. They shone and Sidney felt a deep sense of sadness fill him at the sight. “Please, just… don’t try.”

Frowning Sidney rubbed absentminded, comforting circles on Leonard’s shoulder. He gave no promise and the room fell into silence once more, the air feeling thick in their lungs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A week late but it's here!!
> 
> I'm brand new to writing chapter fics and even newer to writing anything slow burn so I'm kind of figuring it out as I go along. I apologise if pacing seems off! I find myself sitting here glaring at my words grumbling to myself until I over analyse everything. It's a learning experience. :)
> 
> Poem quoted is "Ode to the West Wind" by Percy Bysshe Shelley (who is one of my fav poets of all time). Oh Shelley. *long happy swooning sigh*
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcomed, stay tuned my friends!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy moly it's been a while. I have lots of good excuses for why I've been gone for so long and none of them really matter, all that matters is that you have a new chapter and a promise from me that this story definitely hasn't been given up on! :)

Sidney couldn’t just do nothing; his bicycle found itself on the road again just after lunch. 

The familiar streets of Grantchester passed quickly beneath his wheel. This time he pulled onto the sidewalk of the police station. Dumping his bike without looking against well-weathered red brick, Sidney hopped the steps of the station with practiced bounds. Swinging through the stained glass door of Geordie’s office Sidney swung himself right down into a chair.

“So. How is ‘dealing with it’ going?”

Geordie pointedly didn’t look up from the note he was writing but on his lips settled a tired scowl.

“Who’s been sent to interview for witnesses?” Letting his eyes wander around the office Sidney settled farther back into the worn chair. He had no plans to move. “It happened by the river, but you must know that by now.”

Sighing Geordie dropped his pen heavily upon his desk and leant back into his chair to mirror the vicar’s pose. Bringing his hands up he covered his face and massaged his temples. Within only moments it would seem Sidney had already given him a migraine. “Sidney…”

Impassive Sidney looked expectantly for an answer. Geordie glanced under his fingers at him before groaning and turning his gaze once more to the heavens, looking for God’s help in handing one of God’s helpers. “We’ve investigated and found no eyewitnesses. There’s nothing more we can do.”

“Broad daylight and there were no witnesses? It’s not even been twenty-four hours Geordie.” Sitting back up to lean over the Detective’s desk he squinted accusingly at the stubble dotting down Geordie’s up stretched neck.

A loud snort from beyond the room jolted both. Startled, Sidney turned in his chair just in time to see the passing form of a police officer quickly striding away from beyond Geordie’s door. The shadow left too quickly for Sidney to get a good look at who it had been.

Sidney looked back at Geordie to see the scowl had deepened into something more angry than tired. There wasn’t long to analyze the expression before Geordie rested his elbows on the desk and levelled a strained frown at Sidney.

“It did happen by the River Cam, I found traces of blood just off the pathway secluded by trees. It could have easily not been seen by these eyewitnesses you accuse me of not looking for.”

“Where exactly?”

Geordie paused. If Sidney hadn’t already developed doubt surrounding the opacity of the case this would have spurned it. He gave Geordie a stare that expressed as well as he could silently that there was no real reason to keep this information from him, and that any attempt to do so would be ridiculous.

Geordie received this message loud and clear. The answer came in a mumble just shy off reluctant.  
“About a five minute jaunt off the high street.”

“A- _what_?”

Geordie leaned his head back as if he could somehow hide from Sidney’s growing confusion by pretending he was safe in his living room on his favourite chair. The increasingly distressed noises Sidney was giving could almost- _almost_ be confused for his child’s screaming. All he needed was his wife chatting absently about her day and he could fool himself into escaping away from the vicar’s stream of uncomfortable questions.

However, the tough wood under the cushion of his chair, the bumbling noise of a busy office place, and the noises of a vicar’s moral high ground being asserted shattered whatever allusion he hoped to create for himself.

“That’s barely a five minute walk from the Red Lion, and just before lunch! Did you question them? Find the regulars? Everyone goes there, the workers, the business men the-“

“Yes Sidney, I’ve asked. No one saw anything. No one wanted to see anything if they had.” Geordie rose giving another long sigh. He had been giving quite a few of them as of late. “Your priority should be on Leonard. Focus on what you can fix- the human heart is your domain, the law’s mine. Where one fails the other should step up don’t you think?”

“But why has the law failed? It’s been hardly a day!” Staring the other down Sidney felt bitter words forming on his lips, “The law isn’t what is failing here-“

“That’s enough. That’s quite enough Sidney. Give him my best.” Geordie opened wide the door with a suggesting nod toward the hallway.

Sidney found himself once again dismissed by Geordie, to be left with more questions than answers. Once was enough of that for him.

Geordie stood in the awkward situation of holding the door open for a man comfy in his chair. Sidney slid himself over Geordie’s teacup and took a calm sip of it, looking with mock curiosity at the Detective’s stance at the door. Scowling Geordie let the door swing shut once more and folded his arms.

“Will you ever not be a pain in the arse?”

“Nice tea. Bit milky though, don’t you think?”

“Drat. Next time I have tea I’ll be sure to keep your milk preference in mind.”

“Much appreciated.”

“I could have you thrown out you do know.”

“It would really be a shame though.”

“Hmph,” Rolling his eyes Geordie took a good look at the stubborn man sipping at his tea with the insubordinate look of a man unwilling to have anything less than a troop of policemen carry him out of the station by the pant loops. “Would certainly be satisfying.”

Sidney toasted to that and took a big gulp of the lukewarm milk with a slight infusion of black tea. With a grimace into the remainder of the disagreeable liquid, he felt a pang of longing for the much better cup he had had earlier in the day, sat across from his other best friend in a much more companionable conversation than this.

“I don’t want to fight with you Geordie, you know that.” Sidney swirled the tea and pursed his lips, “But you also know that I’m not stupid, that this investigation isn’t being run as it normally would be.”

“And I also know what’s in the best interest of this case, _and_ for Leonard.” Geordie strode over and took the cup from Sidney, meeting no resistance. “It would be best if we all let this pass and licked our wounds. It won’t help anyone to dig, will only bring unwanted attention.” Pausing Geordie levelled a hard look at Sidney who was staring up at him like he wanted to start to argue again, “If I were you I’d give serious thought to what you could reign down upon that man if people started asking questions. No one will buy a robber targeting a vicar. And I’m sure the men who did it wouldn't have qualms about shouting their reason if you try and corner them.”

Geordie placed the cup back down on his desk with a decisive clang.

“Logic Sidney. You’re blinding yourself to it. What’s best for Leonard is certainly not the law in this case.” Leaning closer Geordie delivered the rest of his point in an undertone, making sure Sidney was painfully aware they were discussing the matter in a bustling police station, “You could very easily make this worse for him. Much worse than an escaped dry-gultch." 

Sidney clenched his jaw, looked down from Geordie’s stare and landed his gaze instead on the haphazard array of papers on the well-worn desk.

Lifting a fist to slam it down on the surface, Sidney felt it fall harmlessly onto the table instead.

“It’s not fair.” He felt like a broken record. His fist had hardly disturbed a single report. “He’s done nothing.”

A hand tentatively came to rest on his shoulder. When he didn't move away it held on with more certainty. The comfort it gave didn't come close to fixing the problem, but it certainly seemed to Sidney to mend a bit of the distance himself and Geordie had been creating.

Looking up at the detective Sidney was met with unhappy eyes, as difficult to read as ever.

“It won’t happen again.” Geordie’s words were firm. “You go be with him.”

Sidney rode his bike home without really seeing the scenery before him. He was too lost in his own mind, trying to find a way to bring about justice without bringing with it more heartache upon them all.

He didn’t think as he picked up another bouquet. When he parked his bike against the vicarage fence he stared down at the flowers with a wistful eye for when their happiness seemed unremarkable. He wasn’t all that surprised with himself for buying them; the look on Leonard’s face at the first bouquet was enough to make him want to repeat the moment. 

Holding the bouquet in a weak fist Sidney went to go search the cupboards for an empty vase Ms. Maguire hadn’t already claimed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funfact! All the places I mentioned like the Red Lion and the five minute walk and the River Cam and all that is true to life, I might have spent a little too long on Google maps. ;)
> 
> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos as always are welcomed with my undying love! <3
> 
> (I'll try not to take half a year for the next chapter omg)


End file.
